Motorola's patent for foldable device approved

Chinese smartphone maker Motorola's patent for a foldable device, which includes a rectangular screen that can be folded like a phone or unfolded to work like a tablet, has been approved by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

The phone patent shows a flexible display that wraps around a hinge along with a cover that can protect the display or prop the phone up like a tent.

"No surprise that Motorola apparently wants in and has actually been scheming for years. A recently awarded patent reveals its idea for a smartphone that folds out into a tablet, pretty much like other foldable phone patents out there," SlashGear reported on Friday.

"What makes this one a bit more interesting, however, is not the phone itself but the addition of a case cover that actually adds some value to the device," the report added.

The patent was originally filed in September 2016 but was only granted this March and only surfaced recently.

Notably, Motorola's parent company Lenovo started working on foldable device prototypes before anyone else.